Please join us at the Edlavitch DCJCC for an informal discussion about various paths to adopting a child. Hear from an adoption lawyer, representatives from an adoption agency and from the foster care system, and parents who have gone through it successfully. LGBTQ and straight, couples and singles, Jewish and non-Jewish—are all warmly welcomed. Come with questions!

No tea, no shade! Join Mrs. Kasha Davis of RuPaul's Drag Race for a decidedly different kind of “reading” – this time in the form of children’s book Derek the Knitting Dinosaur by Mary Blackwood, a tale about a little green dinosaur with a fondness for knitting, who is an embarrassment to his brothers until he uses his talents to help them out.

This drag story hour will feature Mrs. Kasha Davis (whose alter ego, Ed Popil, is a real-life LGBTQ parent) reading children’s stories that focus on diversity, inclusion, love, and acceptance, followed by a dance party and craft activity for participants to take home. The story hour will provide kids with encouragement to embrace differences within themselves and others, and simultaneously serve as support for parents and family members.

Tickets are free with pre-registration; attendees are encouraged to bring a children’s book to donate for inclusion in Comfort Cases® that are given to children entering foster care.

This year, Keshet's teen programs are heading on the road and popping up in a town or city near you! Come meet other LGBTQ and ally Jewish teens for a fun, Chanukah-themed party at the Edlavitch DCJCC to meet new friends, connect with old ones, and find out about different programs and opportunities for LGBTQ and ally Jewish teens in and around the DC area! Free kosher dinner will be provided.

LGBTQ families and kids of all ages are invited to make friends while decorating their own dreidels, and learning how to play this beloved Chanukah game! Enjoy Chanukah treats, sing traditional songs, and listen to stories as we’re reminded of the miracle of lights and the joy this holiday season brings.

November 19 || Community Service || Everything But The TurkeyRegister now - spots going fast! Join other local families in this annual Thanksgiving-themed service project presented by PJ Library, The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, and the Edlavitch DCJCC's Morris Cafritz Center for Community Service.

December 3 || Family Engagement || Make Room for Latkes!This Chanukah we’re making room for latkes AND dosas! Come meet Pamela Ehrenberg, author of The Queen of the Hanukkah Dosas, and enjoy hands-on activities, crafts, cooking, singing, food, a mitzvah (good deed) project and take-home goodies. It’s a perfect morning for Jewish and interfaith families with children ages 3 and older.

December 10 || Family Engagement || Chanukah CelebrationGrab your socks and your yarmulke, it’s time to bounce for Chanukah! This year’s rockin’ Chanukah party will feature a moon bounce, games, crafts, treats and plenty of fun for the whole family. As a friend of GLOE Youth & Family,get a discount on tickets by registering with the "Member" rate.

Come hang out with us on Facebook for daily kibbitzing, trivia, and the occasional ticket give-away.

Plus, you'll see photos from events, find articles relevant to LGBT Jewish families, and find others in the community!

Resources

All resources below are listed for your convenience and interest, but each has been created by independent organizations or individuals. GLOE is not responsible for the content or information provided, other than our own.

Keshet Parent & Family Connection - We are parents and family members of LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer) Jews who are coming together to transform the Jewish community through peer support, public events, and advocating for institutional change. We come from all streams of the Jewish world, have children of all genders and sexual orientations, and are driven by personal journeys of struggle and celebration. Request one-on-one peer support from one of our trained mentors.

Eshel/JQ Baltimore LGBT Orthodox Support Group - A small private gathering for people who identify as LGBT and are Orthodox, Ortho-curious, or formerly Orthodox. It is also for parents of LGBT people who live within Orthodox communities and struggle with their child's sexual orientation or gender identity. Meetings are the first Monday of each month from 7 to 9 p.m. Details on the location will be given after RSVPing to info@eshelonline.org.

Eshel Orthodox Parents Retreat (May 5-7, 2017) - Join the fifth annual Eshel Orthodox Parents Retreat at the Berkshire Hills Eisenberg Camp in Copake, NY. Connect with other parents in a warm, intimate atmopshere by attending informative workshops with experienced faculty. Get inspired and feel part of something, rather than apart from something. The retreat offers parents community, immediate understanding, the freedom to speak that comes with that understanding, the chance to learn, and the opportunity to model healthy acceptance.

•LGBT Family Books

Flamingo Rampant Book Club - Empowering, celebratory LGBTQ2S-themed kids' picture books for 4-8 year olds, delivered right to your home or school every other month. Created by LGBTQ Jewish writer/storyteller/activist/icon S. Bear Bergman. "These books celebrate the great and wide variety of LGBTQ2S kids, families, and communities. That means when our books feature lesbian mums or gay dads, they get storylines: travels, adventures and mysteries to solve, rather than entire books pointing out that we exist."

10 Books Every LGBT Parent Should Read - From Mombian: "Books about LGBT parenting are few and far between, but here are ten that I recommend for all LGBT parents and prospective parents. I chose works that each showcase a variety of voices, rather than single-person memoirs, so each one would resonate as widely as possible. I also chose books that focus on the emotional side of parenting rather than medical and legal how-to works, since the latter tend to be specific to particular segments of the LGBT community."

New U.S. Young Adult (YA) LGBT books published in 2012, curated by Malinda Lo: "By 'LGBT YA novels' I mean young adult novels with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning main characters. That means many books that include secondary or supporting LGBTQ characters are not going to appear on this list. While supporting LGBT characters can indeed be significant, I chose to focus on MAIN characters, as I do believe there is a difference between being the star of the story and being the sidekick." [January-March, 2012] [April-June, 2012]

10 Outstanding LGBT Teen Reads (from the last 10 years) - From Lambda Literary's Alex Sanchez: "When I wrote my first novel, Rainbow Boys, I was writing the book I wished had been available when I was a teen—a book that would’ve told me: “It’s okay to be who you are.” I never imagined that with its 2001 my book would set off an ever-growing parade of LGBT-themed books for and about teenagers." Categories: Girls Who Like Girls, Boys Who Like Boys, Trans Interest, Middle School/Pre-Teen, Bi Interest

•For Jewish LGBTQ Teens and their Teen Allies

ROCKVILLE OPEN HOUSE: - LGBTQA Jewish Teen Safe Space Monthly Meeting (1st Wednesday each month, September-June | 7:00-9:00 pm)Rockville Open House (ROH) is a supervised, safe gathering space for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning,or intersex (LGBTQQI) Jewish teens, and their friends and allies, between the ages of 13-18 yrs old. Teens do NOT have to be Jewish to attend. ROH is open once a month, at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington Youth Lounge - 6125 Montrose Road, Rockville, MD. For more information, please visit rockvilleopenhouse.org or facebook.org/rockvilleopenhouse.

FAIRFAX OPEN HOUSE: Monthly Meeting (Currently on hold)Fairfax Open House is a monthly support group for LGBT Jewish teens that meets the second Monday a month at the JCC in Northern Virginia. For more information friend us on Facebook, Twitter or check us out on the web at www.fairfaxopenhouse.org

The Edlavitch DCJCC embraces inclusion in all its programs and activities. We welcome and encourage the participation of all people, regardless of their background, sexual orientation, abilities, or religion, including interfaith couples and families.

Consider a donation through the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC #54775)